Wire-twisting tool



' June 23, 192s. 1,543,520

' l F. C. REUTTER WIRE TWISTING TOOL l Filed Feb. 7, 1924 ly' .1. 46

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Patented .lune 23, 1925.

wwwv STAT-ES FRED o. REUTTER, or

FIJSTLAYSON,.OIFr 'LO-S BANDS, CALIFORNIA.

Winn-TwIs-TING Toor.. v y

vApplfucation filed February to provide an improved tool for twisting j wires vwhich will facilitate the engaging and vtwisting of the wires and which may be manipulated conveniently within a restrict-.

ed space. y y Y Another object is to provide a device of light but rugged construction which may be conveniently carriedl byV a. workman.

A further Objectis to provide a device of the character described embodying improved structure alfording simplicity, `and ease-of operation.

'I accomplish these and otherobjects by means of the device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present specilication wherein like characters of reference are used to designate similar parts throughout said specification and drawings and in which:

Fig.,1 is a front elevation, partly broken away and shown in section7 of my improved wire twisting tool;

Fig. 2 isa side elevation, partly in section, of the tool; c

Fig. 3 is a section taken upon the y'line 3 3 of Fig. 1v. in the direction indicated; l Fig. 4; is a broken front elevation showing the manner in which the tool is turned to twistlthe wires; and

Fig; 5 is a broken sectional view of a portion of `a concrete form showing the manner inwhich the tool isv applied in twisting vthe tie wires thereof.

My invention is intended'v primarily for use in building constructiongfor twisting togetherfthe wires by which'vertical ysnpports for concrete formsare tied together to preventY bulgingv of the form vwhen the concrete is poured. In this connection it will 'be noted th'atfthe sidesl 1 of the form are supported by spaced upright supports 2 upon the outer sides of theform.y Opposite uprights are commonlyftied together by FRED C. REUTTER,

7, 1924.Y semaine. 691,207.

means of wires 3 carried around one of the l l 1,543,520A v.PATIENT oFFlce.,` y

Los minos, CALIFORNIA, A'ssIGfNon or oNEHALF. 'rol MAR-K uprights, crossed'within the form, and then passed around the Opposite upright the ends of each wire being twisted together upon the outside of the form. After the wires 8 are thusplaced, the crossing strands of each wire are twisted together within the form to draw the uprights together to bring the sides 1 `of the form firmly against temporary spacing members 4L. Heretoforethis twisting has commonlyV been accomplished byin serting a screw driver orother similar instrument between'the strands of--wire andv turning said instrument about the wires. To twist the wires together in this manner the instrumentA must be rotated entirely around for each twist imparted 'vto'the wire. The space between they walls of the'form does not afford suliicient room to twist the wires conveniently in the manner, and furthermorethe space is so obstructed by rein-v forcing bars 6 and the temporary spacing members L that usually the twisting can-be accomplishedA only with considerable difficulty frequently resultingA in injury tothe hands of the workman. Y

To `overcome these objections I have devised an improved twisting tool which,l by referring to the drawings willbe seento comprise a ratchet designated kin generalv by the numeral 7 'and `consisting of anouter ring 8 and an inner'ring Slrotatably` mounted within the outer ring. One of the rings,v inthe form shown in the `drawings the innerring V9,- is yprovided with a plu,- rality of notches 11 arranged to be engaged by suitable pawls 12 secured within recesses 13 formed in the adjacent surface of the' other ring,Y the notches'and pawls beingsorarranged that 'when the outer ring kis rotated in one'direction the pawls will engage the notches and cause `the'inner ringA tojberotated simultaneously in nthe same direction and. to `permitl the' free movement of the pawls past the notcheswhen the outer member` is rotated inthe -opposite direction whereby saidI outer ring may be ro.- tated independently of the inner ring..v

The'outer and inner rings 8' and 9 respectively are both :split andv the ends varranged lin spacedf'relation to .form gaps 14 adapted toadmit the wiresB when saidfV gaps are moved-to registering relation. Apertures 16'and 17 are formed in the o'utei` and inner rings 8 and 9 respectively to;

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receive a wire `engaging member 18 slidably engaging said apertures and extending radiallyn intov the rings. The member 18 consists oi' a pin tapered at its inner end and provided-with a key 19 arranged to slidably engage a corresponding keyway 21 formed in the rings 8 and 9. The member 18 is also provided with a laterally extending pin 22 by which the member 18 may be rotated relative to the rings 8 and 9. The pin 22 limits the outward movement of the member 18, and the key 19 is so positioned with respect to the pin 22 that when the member 18 is moved outwardly to its extreme position the key will clear the outer edge of the outer `ring so that the member may be turned by means of the pin 22 and the key moved out of alignment with the keyway thereby normally retaining the member 18 in its outer extreme position. When the member 18 is moved inwardly the tapered end extends diametrically across the Vinner ring 9, the outer end of the member 18 clearing the inner surface of the outer ring 8 to permit the outer ring to be rotated independently of theinner ring. `When moved to this position, the key 19 clears the inner edge of the keyway so that the member 18 may be turned to move the key out of alignment with the keyway and thereby retain the member in the innermost or operative position.

The outer ring 8 is provided with a laterally disposed extension 23 recessed to receive the end of an actuating handle 2li held in engagement therewith by means, or' a set screw 25. The handle may be of any desired shape and size, or, if desired, a portion of some other tool carried by the workman, such as a screw driver or pair of pliers, may be inserted into the extension 23. and used for an actuating handle, f

The rings 8 and 9 held in assembled relation by means of plates 26 and 27 screwed or otherwise secured upon the sides of the outer ring, the plates being shaped to match with the edges of the assembled rings.

In operation the ratchet is placed in engagement with the wires 3 to be twisted, the wires being admitted to the center of the ratchet. through the gaps 14 in the rings. The member 18 is then moved from its outer Vposition as. shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 3. of the drawings, to the inner position shown in dotted lines, the tapered end of the pin being moved between the strands of thev wire 3 and the pin 22 turned toA the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and in full lines in Fig. 4; to retain the member in its inner positionV as above explained. The outer ring 8 may now be rotated freelyin one direction about the inner ring while a movement in the opposite. direction will cause the inner ringof the pin 22 until the key 19 registers with the keyway and the membery then moved to its outer position. The tapered Y end of the member 18 may be readily moved out o f engagement with the wire and the ratchet removed from the wire. ByA thus utilizing a ratchet action for twisting thewires, thetool may be operated ina Vvery limited space as only a small portion yoi" rotation of the tool handleis necessary lto effect any desired amount'of twisting ofI the wire. As a clearance is always available for making at least a qua-rter turn of the handle the workman is thusenabledA to easily and quickly twist the wiresl without the usual inconvenience of avoiding: ,re-.I intere-ing and spacing members and the'fre- Y quent injury to the hands wlien'such membei's are encountered. l L

Having thus describedv by invention what I claim as new and desire to secureA by Letters Patent is, Y

1. A wire twisting' tool comprising a ratchet; a wire engaging member slidably and rotatably mounted upon the ratchetv and arranged to be moved to` engage a pair of wires to be twisted together; means for holding the wire engaging member inoperative or releasing position relative to the wires and ratchet; and means foractuating the ratchet and the wire engaging member 'to twist the wires. y

2. A wire twisting tool comprisingy a ratchet; a wire engaging member slidably and rotatably mounted upon thel ratchet and arranged to' be moved between a pairv of wires to be twisted together; a keyfsecured upon the wire engaging member to slidably engage a keyway formed in tlie ratchet to permit the member to .be moved 4to and fromV operative posit-ion, said key clearing the keyway when the member is moved to either extreme to permit the member to be turned to move th-e key out of alinement with the keyway and thereby hold said member in either eXtreme position; and means for actuating the ratchetvand the wire engaging` member to twist the wires.4

3. yA wire twistingV too-l comprising a ratchet, and a wire engaging member slid?.

an outer split ringrthe ends of Vwhich areslightly spaced. and an inner split ring rotatably mounted within the outer ring, said rings having apertures adapted to slidably enga-ge the wire engaging members; means connecting the outer and inner rings to cause the rings to be moved simultaneously in one direction and to permit the independent movement of the rings in the opposite d'irection; and means for actuating the ratchet and the wire engaging member to twist the wires.

4. A wire twisting tool comprising a ratchet consisting of an outer split ring the ends of which are slightly spaced and having an aperture opposite the split ends, and an inner split ring rotatably mounted with- 'in the outer ring, and having spacedv ends and an aperture adapted to register with the ends and aperture of the inner ring, and means mounted in connection with the rings to cause said rings to be moved simultaneously when rotated in one direction and to permit the rings to be rotated independently inthe opposite direction; and a wire engaging member slidably mounted within the apertures of the rings and extending radially into the rings, said member being adapted vto be moved between a pair of wires introduced into the ring between the split ends of the rings and to extend across the ring in operativeposition with the outer end of the member moved out of engagement with the'outer ring to permit the outer ring to be actuated to rotate t-he inner ring and the wire engaging member and thereby twist the wires together.

5. A wire twisting tool comprising Va ratchet consisting of an outer split ring the ends of which are slightly spaced and having an aperture opposite the split ends, and an inner split ring rotatably mounted within the outer ring, and havingspaced ends and an aperture adapted to register with the ends and aperture ofthe inner ring, and

means mounted in connection with therings to cause said rings to be moved simultaneously when rotated in one direction and to permit the rings to be rotated independently of the rings and to extend across the ring in f operative position with the outer end of the member moved out of engagement with the outer ring to permit the outer ring to be actuated to rotate the inner ring and the wire engaging member and thereby twist the wires together, and means for holding the wire engaging member in operative position.

6. A wire twisting tool comprising a ratchet comprising inner and outer rings Y split upon one side to admit a pair of wires thereinto and having apertures arranged opposite the split, and means' mounted in connection with the rings to cause the rings to be moved simultaneously when rotated in one direction and to permit one of said rings to be rotated independently in the opposite direction; a wire engaging member mounted Within the apertures of the rings, and extending radially into the rings, the inner end of said member being normally spaced from the opposite side of the inner ring and the outer end of the member extending outwardly past the outer ring, said member being movable to an operative position between the wires and extending across the ring, the outer end of the member being moved inwardly out ot' engagement with the outer ring whereby said outer ring may be rotated independently of the inner ring; a key secured upon the wire engaging member and movable past the ends of a keyway formed in the rings; and means for turning the member to move the key out of alinement with the keyway to engage either side of the ratchet whereby the wire engaging member may be held in either extreme position.

In Witness whereof I hereunto set my signature.

FRED C. REUTTER. 

